focusing on lifting - increased appetite?

Options
HappyGrape
HappyGrape Posts: 436 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I find myself very hungry recently.

I moved from 2 full body sessions per week (plus other activities as yoga, swimming) to upper body push, lower body, upper body pull, day off, repeat.

Any tips? On my 3rd day of lifting I am soo hungry, I am thinking of changing to 2 days lift, one rest, two lift to deal with it little better

Any other suggestions

«1

Replies

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Options
    More intense exercise can trigger hunger out of proportion to the calorie expenditure.
    The early days of a new regime are the most challenging and it may settle down as it becomes more "normal".
    Give it some time perhaps but can you rejig your eating schedule to put your bigger meals when you are most hungry? Either moving your daily calories around or a variable daily amount if the third day of lifting is your "hungry day"?

  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    Options
    You added more exercise in, which burns more calories, so you'll require more calories (assuming all other variables are the same).
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,389 MFP Moderator
    Options
    I am finding that if I keep protein around 1g per lb of weight and fiber around 30g, that it helps keep my hunger at bay.
  • JamBlaze
    JamBlaze Posts: 90 Member
    Options
    I up the frequency of my weight workouts very slowly to avoid this problem. I'm the same as you - too much weight work, my hunger goes crazy! It does calm down after a few days/weeks though. TBH I just go with it. It's only a short term thing.
  • joemac1988
    joemac1988 Posts: 1,021 Member
    Options
    Day 2 is lower body? If I had to guess I'd say that is "emptying your tank". Leg workouts use a ton of energy and you should eat more that day. I'm a 200lb male in a surplus to gain muscle so a little different than you, but just for reference my macros on leg day (twice a week) are 500c, 150f, 300p. Not applicable to you, I know; the point is leg days drain you. I'd say throw some extra carbs in at least; try a post-workout muffin on for size :smile: Don't worry, those calories go straight to the booty.
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,757 Member
    Options
    might need some more time to see if the hunger pattern repeats, could be so many other things. I still have those inexplicable days where I cant seem to eat enough (genuine hunger...not just snacking for snacking sake) and there isn't always a workout related reason.

    Your workout pattern seems fine, taking that third day off might not be a bad idea.

    All that being said what is your primary goal?
  • HappyGrape
    HappyGrape Posts: 436 Member
    Options
    muscle building without gaining weight. Particularly upper body
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
    Options
    HappyGrape wrote: »
    muscle building without gaining weight. Particularly upper body

    pretty much impossible to build muscle without gaining weight, unless you are referring to recomp but even there you gain some and then lose some.

    how many calories are you consuming per day...
  • valadez210
    valadez210 Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    you're gonna have to gain some weight! But it shouldn't be to much, weight shouldn't be a focus when lifting weights though! Appearance is what it is when it comes to lifting
  • HappyGrape
    HappyGrape Posts: 436 Member
    edited January 2017
    Options
    About 2000 + most days. I lost weight eating that so I eat little more some days.
  • HappyGrape
    HappyGrape Posts: 436 Member
    Options
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    HappyGrape wrote: »
    muscle building without gaining weight. Particularly upper body

    pretty much impossible to build muscle without gaining weight, unless you are referring to recomp but even there you gain some and then lose some.

    how many calories are you consuming per day...

    That freaks me out little
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,389 MFP Moderator
    Options
    HappyGrape wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    HappyGrape wrote: »
    muscle building without gaining weight. Particularly upper body

    pretty much impossible to build muscle without gaining weight, unless you are referring to recomp but even there you gain some and then lose some.

    how many calories are you consuming per day...

    That freaks me out little

    Why? Overall, if you are recomping, you wouldn't know the difference. Some weeks or days you will gain, others you will lose. Essentially, you are going back and forth between cut/bulk based on natural eating habits. Over a year or two (depending on the variables) you can see sweeping difference and be about the same weight.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
    Options
    HappyGrape wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    HappyGrape wrote: »
    muscle building without gaining weight. Particularly upper body

    pretty much impossible to build muscle without gaining weight, unless you are referring to recomp but even there you gain some and then lose some.

    how many calories are you consuming per day...

    That freaks me out little

    why?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
    Options
    HappyGrape wrote: »
    About 2000 + most days. I lost weight eating that so I eat little more some days.

    since you changed up your routine you are burning more calories so you probably need to eat more ..maybe go to 2100 a day and see how you do?
  • leajas1
    leajas1 Posts: 823 Member
    Options
    HappyGrape wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    HappyGrape wrote: »
    muscle building without gaining weight. Particularly upper body

    pretty much impossible to build muscle without gaining weight, unless you are referring to recomp but even there you gain some and then lose some.

    how many calories are you consuming per day...

    That freaks me out little

    Don't freak! If you're very new to progressive weight training you can enjoy some newbie gains while losing weight. That ends after a while, though, and like other posters have said you can recomp, but it just takes a while.
  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
    edited January 2017
    Options
    HappyGrape wrote: »
    HappyGrape wrote: »
    muscle building without gaining weight. Particularly upper body

    That freaks me out little

    The scale messes with our heads after a lifetime of being told losing weight is the goal! If you've never checked out this article, you should- one of the best examples for women to how lifting and being heavier can finally get us the shape and size we want!

    https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    Personal note: I weighed around 150 before lifting and was a size 8/10 with 25-30% body fat. Now I am a size 4/6 with 18% bf and look so much better than I did in my 20's as a runner. And I still weigh around 150.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
    Options
    So, is your goal to basically build muscle, lose fat, maintain weight? Are you following a progressive lifting routine for hypertrophy? If you have increased your time lifting and are also lifting more weight, you can eat a little more to stay in maintenance as you will be burning a little more than before . It is trial and error to find your true maintenance, especially when you change your routine.
  • Alendralouise
    Alendralouise Posts: 116 Member
    Options
    Happy Grape- I'm going through similar at the moment. Feel free to message me if you need someone to discuss these things with! This thread was really useful, thank you all.
  • HappyGrape
    HappyGrape Posts: 436 Member
    Options
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    You added more exercise in, which burns more calories, so you'll require more calories (assuming all other variables are the same).

    I am using fitbit so according to them, I don't need that much more. I walk little bit less. I eat my calories most days, like +-150 but it evens out.

    I slept 8.5 hours last night. My normal sleep is 7 hours so I just may need to take extra day off. I am doing this program since 19th of December but had a lot of time off work, its only this back since I added my work (sitting mainly) I feel drained & hungry.

  • HappyGrape
    HappyGrape Posts: 436 Member
    edited January 2017
    Options
    leajas1 wrote: »
    HappyGrape wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    HappyGrape wrote: »
    muscle building without gaining weight. Particularly upper body

    pretty much impossible to build muscle without gaining weight, unless you are referring to recomp but even there you gain some and then lose some.

    how many calories are you consuming per day...

    That freaks me out little

    Don't freak! If you're very new to progressive weight training you can enjoy some newbie gains while losing weight. That ends after a while, though, and like other posters have said you can recomp, but it just takes a while.

    I have been training for awhile, but wasn't getting anywhere with my upper body when doing full body weight programs. I felt I am hitting the squats and other lower body weight more and my upper body exercise didn't get as much energy. Feeling great with the change, enjoying the split workouts at the minute a lot more.

    I am not sure if I will get the newbie gains :). Lets hope I do

Categories